Page 139 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

Once inside, I summoned my authority to the stage and climbed up to sit on it, then summoned chairs for the other advisors.

Huxley broke away from Rooke and Sven to join us. “What’s up?”

“Frond is bringing me to trial,” I replied, sensing that Wild was using all his focus on remaining on his chair and not wrapping his hands around Frond’s neck.

Huxley nodded and sat on Varden’s other side.

Winona, Opal, and Delta were pushing tables back and summoning long benches as one would expect to see in a courtroom.

“At least I’m not tied to a post in the middle of a heap of tinder,” I murmured.

“Humans do this in their witch trials?” Varden asked.

“At points in their history, yes. Like any race, they fear what they do not understand. Their trials usually were a lose-lose situation for the charged, however. Death often proved their innocence.”

“A hefty price to pay,” Varden said.

The old esteemed was angry. Very much so.

I patted his hand. “It’s okay, sir. This will work out. But thank you for being offended on my behalf.”

The old magus released a weary sigh. “I hope we deserve you before this is through, High Esteemed. At the moment, we don’t.”

“I choose to be here,” I told him. “I choose the consequences of that. Truth is a small one to pay.”

The last coven members entered, and the remaining advisors took their seats either side of me. Winona rose and gestured for quiet, but as soon as the coven’s chatter had died down, Frond was the one to speak.

“We, the coven of the Buried Knolls, accuse High Esteemed Tempest Corentine of practicing dark magic.”

Sven shouted from the back, “Speak for yourself, asshole.”

There was some laughter, but his comment was met with just as much annoyance. Varden had mentioned coercion when it came to Frond collecting his signatures from the coven, but it didn’t look that way to me.

Winona hadn’t visibly reacted to his rudeness. “And have you collected evidence of reasonable doubt to invoke this trial?”

“I have.” Frond glanced back and Josie, Bedwyr, and Gentri, of all people, stepped forward.

Gentri appeared as though he’d rather be standing naked as the groom in his union than be here right now.

Frond gestured to Josie. “We have one coven member who witnessed black smoke pouring from the high esteemed in a battle against Corentin. She also witnessed the demon tongue pouring from the high esteemed’s mouth as though she were born to the language.”

I almost laughed. I was wired wrong. This wasn’t a situation to laugh at. I blamed my mother and my grandmother for that.

A growl vibrated out of Wild, and the coven glanced around before realizing where the sound originated from.

“We all witness the unusual behavior of Esteemed Advisor Astar since he entered a relationship with the high esteemed,” Frond said louder.

Winona’s reply was dry. “Which we are aware is due to the first mating ritual ever seen in maguskind. I imagine Mr. Astar’s response is very much due to how you are treating his mate.”

Wild was becoming a more deadly promise by the second.

Frond recovered, then waved an arm toward Bedwyr. “We have a coven member who had an encounter with our high esteemed where she begged for sexual relief from magic invoked.”

I did laugh then. I’d forgotten about that. Bedwyr had happened upon me while I was in the throes of a heat. Wild appeared not long after, but the situation had been an unusual one.

Bedwyr’s face reddened, but he jutted out his chin. “I also witnessed Esteemed Advisor Astar cleaning soot from the roof of the training center again recently and heard the high esteemed speak in demon tongue.”

“Gentri?” Frond prompted.

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